Prefabricated wiring system



Jane 2o, 1939.y 'w s. RUGG' ET AL y2,162,864

PREFABRICATED Vfl RING SYSTEM Fild March 19, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l W xl I June 20, 1939,* w, s. RUGG ET A1. 2,162,864

PREFABRICATED WIRING SYSTEM I File March 19, 1957 5 Sheet,s-Sheel'I 2 UNITED vSTATI-:s

PATENT ori-lcs PREFABRICATED WIRING SYSTEM `Walter S. Rugg, Pittsburgh, and Henry D. James, EdgewoodJa.

Applicationl March 19,

2 claims.

'This invention relates to electrical house wiring systems or the like, more particularly to a system of wiring consisting of prefabricated lengths of conductor cable together with the pro- 5 tective housings such as conduits which can be assembled in a building without splicing the ends of the cable, or protective housingsI as in the conventional form of wiring system, and the invention further contemplates the provision of junction units for receiving the ends of the cable and housing, and outlet boxes or receptacles which are attachable to the power cables and conduit through plug-receptacles that are permanently connected to said cables and conduit.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a wiring system for connecting lights, switches, baseboard outlets and other utility outlets which shall be provided with means for connecting, removing and changing the electrical terminals without connecting or disconnecting the wires, such wiring systems being prefabricated to desired length, and to include all necessary electrical connections, at the factory.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a prefabricated wiring system of the above designated character embodying means for joining cable ends and means for securely locking the connected ends together. l

Another object of the invention is the proviv sion of prefabricated wiring systems of the abovedesignated character in which all electrical conductors are protected against exposure, including the protection of the cable ends during construction. Still a further object of the invention is the provision of outlet receptacles for power lines which shall embody terminal plug receptacles permanently connected to the conductor cablesv and which shall be adapted to receive plug terswitches or the like.

The foregoing objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of lthe accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view with parts broken away, for convenience of illustration, of a prefabricated wiring system and outlets therefor embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 an end elevational view of an outlet terminal for receiving a lighting fixture or the like, as shown in side elevation in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 a plan viewv of anv outlet receptacle permanently attached to the power cable in accord'- minals of outlet 'boxes, lighting fixtures and 1937, Serial No. 131,774

ance With the principles of this invention taken along the line 4 4, Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 a vertical section of the outlet box of Fig. 4 with the cover thereon, taken along the rline 5 5, Fig. 4; 5

`Fig. 6 a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 6 6, Fig. 7, of an outlet box connection of theplug type;

Fig. 7 a vertical section thereof taken long the line 1 1, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 a sectional elevational view o a cabi end connection for insertion into a junction unit;

Fig. 9 a plan View thereof taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 an end elevational view of the cable end connection;

Fig. 11 an exploded view partially in section and partially in elevation of an outlet receptacle and switch;

Fig. 12 a plan ,view of the outlet receptacle of Fig. 2, with the switch element removed, showing two plug `terminal receptacles for a twowire system; i

Fig. 13 a similar view for a three-wire system;

Fig. 14 a plan view of a live-plug outlet with the cover thereon;

Fig. 15 a. cross-sectional view thereof taken along the line I5 5, Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 a cross-section of a junction unit taken along the line lli-IB, Fig. l, the view of the junction unit of Fig. l being taken along the line l l of Fig. 16.

With reference to Fig. l of the drawings, the wiring system consists of conductor cables i of a predetermined length disposed in conduit 2 which may be rigid but preferably. of the BX type which is flexible so that the lengths can be made somewhat longer than required or can be turned around corners, the prefabricated lengths being determined from the architects drawing. Fig. 1 is illustrative of the adaptation of prefabricated wiring to a building in which the bottom horizontal conductor constitutes the baseboard power line, the vertical conductor the sidewall power line, and the top horizontal conductor a power line for ceiling fixtures.

The numeral 3 represents the inside wall or partition to which, as shown in Fig. l, are attached outlet boxes 4 and 5. The conductor cables -l are provided with either terminals'or 50 plugs 6 to which the ends of the conductor i are permanently attached in any suitable manner as by brazing. The conductor end terminals 6 are adapted to be plugged` into a junction finit I1 which, as more clearly shown in Fia'. o of the 55 drawings, is provided with nat' spring terminals 8 for receiving the end terminal 6 of the conductor cables. The junction unit of Fig. 16 is `for a three-wire system and the spring terminals 8 are joinedvas by. welding at their juncture,

Fig. 1, to constitute an integral conductor for establishing an electrical circuit through the conductor cables, which are attached to the junction unit.-

To interlock the cables and conduits I and 2 with the junction unit I1, they are provided with an endv connection, as is more clearly shown inV Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive of the -drawings consisting l oi" a tapered ferrule I0, which may be a split nger which interacts with the slot I3 is chamfered to facilitate slipping the attachment I2 into the opening of the junction unit. Once the iin; ger has slipped in place by the tension of spring I5, the attachment I2 is securely interlocked with the junction unit with the face I2a and IZbIabutting against the correspondingly-shaped Vfaces of the junction unit. To remove the end terminal from the junction unit, the head I6 of the spring ringer may be lifted by a screw driver or other implement to release it from the slot I3, which permits withdrawal of the conductor cable terminals.

From the description of the junction unit and connecting cable terminals, it will be apparent that by furnishing the conductor cables in prefabricated lengths, they maybe assembled with facuity and without requiring any electrical wiring connections to be made.

In addition to 4the mannerl of connecting the ends of the conductor cables, as hereinabove described, an important feature of the invention which makes the use of prefabricated wiring practical is to provide them with permanent outlet terminals which may assume various forms as will hereinafter appear.

A simple form of outlet box is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and consists of a base I8 of insulating material secured to the outlet box I9 by screws 2li,l the outlet box being of substantial depth to extend flush with the wall or baseboard 3 and being provided with openings for receiving thev ends-of conduits 2. Bus bars 2l are secured in the base I8 by terminal screws 22 which attach the ends ofthe conductor cable I tothe outlet box. AA

block 23 of insulating material extends upwardly from the bus bars and is provided with openings 24 for receiving terminals 25 of the bus bars and plug terminals 26 of the plug receptacle 21 which in turn may have any number of outlet recep-l tacles in the outer face 28 thereof. Y

To assemble the outlet receptacle of Figs. 5

and 4, it is extended through the opening in the basebc-ard, and the loose ends of the conductor cable I, having appropriate ttings, are fastened by the terminal screws 22 to the busl bars, as sho'wn in Fig. 4. 'Ihe outlet receptacle is then merely plugged into the openings. -24 ofthe insulating member 23 and the'outlet is thus completely assembled'. Attaching screws may be in-` serted in the cover .plate 2Q in the usual manner or the latter may be held in place only by the plug terminals 26.

Another form of outlet is' shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which the terminal connections are similar to tion with Fig. 1, the conductor cables I having the same end connections as for use in the junc= tion units, and the outlet is provided with the spring terminals 9 for receiving the end terminals 6 of the conductors. The spring terminals 9, as shown in Fig. 6, are provided with terminals 29 adapted to receive plug terminals 3P of the outlet member 3l, which requires no further attachment than a fastening screw for the face plate 32.

Still another form of outlet is shown in Figs. 14 and 15 in which a conduit 33 is connected to the conduit 2 and a plug of insulating material'34 is secured in a boss or oir-set portion 35 of the conduit 33. Terminals 36 are provided in the insu-v lating block 34, these terminals being permanently attached to the cable 31. The top of the insulating block 34 may be flanged, as shown at 38, to interact with an insulating plate 39 fastened by screws 30 to the outlet ,box 4I, and an outlet receptacle 42 provided with plug terminals 43 is electrically attached by plugging into the insulating member 34.v As shown in Fig. 14, the Outlet receptacle may be provided with a 4plurality of outlets ofwhich there are veshown in Fig. 14.

ity devices in appropriate outlets. By this means, clocks may be direct-connected to the power circuit, whereas iloor lamps and other electrical appliances may be connected to the switch line to be simultaneously controlled.

Inthe form of Figs., 11 to 14 are shown outlet terminals similar to that of Fig. 15 provided with a switch attachment having plug terminals 43 for insertion in the terminal receptacles 34, of

which there are two in Fig. 12 and three in Fig.

13, depending upon whether the connection is for a two or three-wire system. The construction 'of the switch 45 may be of the usual form with a cover plate 46 and switch knob 41. The switch of Fig. 11 is shown assembled in Fig. 1 of the drawings. y

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the prefabricated wiring system is eminently adapted for attachment of lightingflxtures to the ceiling through the i'ollowing devices. An L- and is of a shape tohouse a block of insulating material 49 attached to the outlet box 5 in the manner of the outlet connection of Fig. 15, like shaped conduit 48 is attached to the conduit 2 reference characters designating like parts in the two structures.

A The terminal 36 is attached to the cable. VI and coacts with plug terminals 43. The light fixture 50, Fig. 3, is attached to the outlet terminal by the bracket 5I, from which termi'nals 43 project andi-a plate 52 is joined vto the bracket 5I by screws 53, the plate in turn being connected to the outlet box 5 by screws 54.-'

- Thenxtures may be replaced by nxtures having e like connecting parts, which are interchangeable,v and when removed from the attaching 'receptataclesare attached `to the prefabricated areas system by merely plugging into the permanent receptacles thereof and are, therefore, interchangeable at will, and when not in use .they

may be blanked-ol with false plugs without` dangerof short-circuiting of the power line. Re-

pairs to the oulet receptacles can be made without cutting oil'the current, and the entire system of wiring can be installed without necessitating that any wiring connections be made as in the conventional form ot house'wirin'g systems.

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that a prefabricated wiring system with the junction units and outlet receptaclesv adapted for joining the cable and electrical devices is both simple and practical and may be economically produced in production quantities.

It is also evident that in the use oi' such prefabricated umts the wiring systems of buildings will be of uniform excellence throughout, as it does not depend upon the skill and eiliciency of an electrician to eect proper electrical junctions and contacts. By means of the ceiling4 attachment for the lighting unitsthe hazards and displeasing appearance of ceiling connections are eliminated.

vIt is also apparent that the ceiling attachl. A prefabricated electrical wiring system comprising a plurality of sections of pre-cut conduit of predetermined length, conductors in each of said sections, an insulating block disposed in the ends of and closing each section, and having a contact blade projecting therefrom'to which `a conductorvend is secured within the section, junction receptacles for connecting the sections,`

contact sockets in said receptacles for receiving the contact blades projecting from the ends of `the sections, the insulating block of the conduit sections and the junction receptacles having complementary-shaped interacting faces for relieving the strain on the blade terminals, and

Ainterlocking means to. prevent displacement of the conduit and receptacle members when in their assembled position.

2. A prefabricatedv electrical wiring system comprising a plurality of sections of pre-cut conduit of predetermined length, conductors in each of said sections, an insulating block disposed in the ends of and closing-each section, and having` a contact blade projecting therefrom to which a conductor end is secured within the section, junction receptacles for connecting the sections, contact sockets in said receptacles for receiving the contact blades projecting from the ends of the sections; the insulating blocks of the conductor sections being provided with projecting portions and said junction receptacles being recessed for receiving said projecting Vportions whereby to relieve the terminal blades of mev chanical strain, said projecting and recess portions being provided with interlocking means operative. upon the placement o! the projecting portion into its cooperating recess.

WALTER s.. RUGG. HENRY D. JAMES. 

